As time goes by
by SurannekeeleyBeauchamp
Summary: Follows Connie and Jacob after 'what lies beneath'. Things are changing, but there is always hurdles in the way. How will the couple deal with those hurdles?
1. Chapter 1

**Follow on from 'what lies beneath' and the Connie and Jacob hotel room scene!**

His heart pounded through the wall of his chest as they continued to wondrously gaze into each other with nothing but longing and desire in their eyes. The world around them had frozen in time, the rise and fall of each other's chests were the only sign that the world carried on moving, lives brought into the world and lives ending. It all remained.

Tentatively, Jacob reached out to place a hand on his former lover's cheek, the electricity between them almost burning his hand. Their eyes refused to tear away from each other, emerald green meeting with chocolate brown. Jacob could see Connie trying to string a sentence together, her mouth moving several times, but words failing her.

In the end no words were needed, as Connie gave in to the overwhelming excitement that consumed her whenever Jacob was near, and wrapped her arms around his neck, whilst simultaneously jumping into his arms and entwining her legs around his waist. Jacob responded with a passionate kiss, one that had been waiting for an age to meet with Connie's plump lips. His arms fell to her hips, holding her tightly against himself as he moved towards the room's king-sized bed.

"I've missed you" He pants as he lays Connie down on the bed, her hair spreading about on the crisp white sheets. Jacob gasped in pleasure as he just looks down at her longingly. She was so beautiful, so perfect. He had almost forgotten how it felt to touch her, to hold her. His eyes were transfixed, in such awe of the woman before him. Her fringe had almost completely covered her right eye, but there was a smile on her face, and he tried to remember the last time he had seen her look so alive. In fact he did. Before Grace had returned to her care. That's when the realisation had hit him like a ten tonne truck. Connie had left him because Grace had told her too. He almost felt tears bubble in his eyes, but refused to dampen the moment with his emotions. His Connie had been so unhappy for some time, something that Charlie Fairhead had also noticed, and regularly reminded Jacob of his observations. The true happiness she had strived for had been once again cruelly snatched away.

"I've missed you more" She whispered as she looked up at him as he lay above her. She found herself actually meaning the words she uttered. She had missed him, ridiculously. Her eyes had brightened up, brighter than they had been in a long time.

"Please never leave me again" Jacob begged as he pushed a stray piece of hair behind the clinical leads ear.

"You know I can't promise you that" Connie croaked although she wanted to take that promise and make it last forever.

"Yes you can if you let me talk to Grace" He was begging now and he knew he was, but no matter how pathetic he looked, he could not let Connie slip through his fingers again.

"Con- please because I don't know whether I could face you every day knowing that I can't be with you. It kills me" Connie remained lying on the bed, her eyes roaming Jacob as he towered above her, his arms holding up his weight so that he didn't crush her tiny frame.

Truth be told this was exactly what she needed, to realise that without Jacob she was just existing, she wasn't 'alive'. She was in a state of auto pilot, going about her days in such a way that she managed to somehow blank out the resentment she held towards Grace and the loneliness that consumed her for a majority of her waking day.

Enough was enough, and finally snapping and giving in to her heart, Connie placed a hand on either side of Jacob's face and sat up the best she could underneath him. She placed a heartfelt, tender kiss on his forehead.

"We'll tell her together" She whispered, much to the delight of her partner who grinned madly back at her.

"It's going to be ok sweet cheeks, just you watch"

 **note:**

 **Sorry for the lack of updates. My partner has been really unwell, and in hospital for a month, then I got ill, so its been a while!**

 **If anyone has any ideas for any of my other fics I would appreciate the feedback!**

 **Thank you and enjoy**

 **SKB x**


	2. Chapter 2

"Well I for one am glad that is over" Jacob commented as Connie pulled her car out of the hotels carpark. His hand rested on Connie's thigh as she drove. He was still in awe of the brunette who seemed to be taking everything in her stroll. Grace hadn't been mentioned since the night before, although Jacob was pretty sure that had something to do with the four rounds of sex that the pair had managed to endure. Making up for lost time he had told Connie when she had questioned his stamina after round two.

 _"_ _I will never tire of making love to you"_

They had eventually fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms, both completely naked and incredibly happy. Jacob had stayed up the majority of the night, just watching the rise and fall of Connie's chest, trying to convince himself that this was actually happening. For so long he had convinced himself that he and Connie were a no go, and then she was wrapped in his arms, peaceful and finally without worry.

 _"_ _I love you so much"_ He had whispered into her dark hair as she had slept. No other words could cover just how much he adored Connie, from her temper tantrums in the emergency department, to her giggle when they were alone.

"Oh really. Well now my Ego feels slightly out of place" Connie murmured as she watched the traffic up ahead.

"I meant…" Jacob started.

"I know what you meant" Connie grinned cheekily, momentarily taking her eyes from the road and poking her tongue out at him" And if you think I will ever ask you to make a speech again, you are very much mistaken"

"What about at our wedding?" Jacob asked seriously. Connie almost slammed her car into the one ahead of her in shock. She put the brakes on and pulled over into a side road, her hands shaking as she did so.

"Our wedding?" She asked in surprise as she turned and looked at her partner who remained calm and collected.

"Yes, our wedding. Do you seriously think I was going to let you get away with another man's last name?" He smirked before reaching into his jacket pocket and revealing a small velvet box. Connie swallowed back a gasp and any nerves she had. She watched as Jacob opened the box to reveal a stunning silver wedding band with one large diamond.

"Jacob…" Connie started.

"No, please, just listen. Ive had this for a while, I was going to propose before we split up… obviously it didn't go as plan. But I kept it because I knew that it was you I was going to be with for the rest of my life. I know we've only just got back together Con, but I know it's you, and always will be you. Whenever I look at you my heart skips a beat and I can't concentrate on a thing. You are my obsession, my one true love" Jacob pulled the ring from the box and offered it to a stunned Connie.

"What I'm trying to say is, Connie Beauchamp, will you marry me?" It wasn't quite the proposal he had hoped for, but it felt right. The moment was right, just him and Connie after a wonderful night. Who cared whether they had just got back together? He knew she was his forever, and he needed her to know that. He needed her to know that he would fight for her, do everything for her and her Daughter. He wanted to go home to his wife and step-daughter, maybe they'd get a dog? Who knew, but all that mattered was Connie's answer to his impromptu proposal.

"I- Jacob…" Connie searched Jacobs face for any sign of a joke. He was being deadly serious, and suddenly nothing else mattered. She felt she had the strength to tell Grace that things were changing, that Jacob was there for keeps. She needed to be happy.

"Yes! Of course- Yes I'll marry you" She suddenly spoke after several seconds of silence. Jacob looked at her in surprise.

"Yes?" He questioned her as if he hadn't heard her the first time.

"Yes! Yes! A millions time yes" Connie beamed, wondering when she had last felt so happy, so content. Jacob took the ring from the box and quickly slipped it onto her ring finger before gently placing a kiss on her finger.

"I love you so much Constance Beauchamp" He whispered as Connie gazed down at the beautiful jewel that had been placed on her finger.

"I love you too Jacob Masters" She finally said the three most important words. Jacobs heart skipped a beat and for a second he considered ripping the clinical leads clothes from her slender frame and making love to her like he had never done before.

"I think we need to get back to Holby ASAP" Jacob groaned. Connie went to comment but noticed the bulge in her fiancés trousers.

"I'll put my foot down"


	3. Chapter 3

"Mrs Beauchamp"

"Staff Nurse Master's" Connie purred her reply as the two snaked about each other as they attended to a patient in Resus. Their eyes met briefly, before they both turned their attention back to the critically unwell patient who lay on the trolley before them.

Connie began to bark her orders, calls for blood tests and ECG's were made, all the while she leant over the trolley, her stethoscope placed in the centre of the patient's chest as she listened for any signs of infection or any indication as to why a normally healthy 22 year old had collapsed in the street.

"There's wheezing on the chest, but I don't think that it's a chest infection" Connie concluded as she stood up straight and placed the stethoscope back around her neck. She placed both hands on her hips as she attempted to work out what the hell had gone wrong.

"Mrs Beauchamp, I know this patient!" Robyn had entered the room moments before to assist Cal with his patient over the other side of resus, but as she had entered she spotted Felix Matthew's lying unconscious on the bed.

"I'm sorry?" Connie spoke quickly as she turned on her heel to face the young nurse who had approached the bed and was gazing at the patient intently.

"Felix Matthews, he was in here about two days ago. His next door neighbour had been trapped in a house fire. He'd gone in and saved three people. He refused any treatment or check-up when he arrived. Stated he was fine and just wanted to make sure that the young family next door were all ok" Robyn revealed. Connie looked to Jacob in alarm. The male nurse seemed to read her mind because before she could make any instructions he was picking up the phone and speaking to a Thoracic surgeon.

"Thank you Robyn. You've possibly just saved this man's life" Connie congratulated the red headed nurse, who basked in the glow of the clinical leads comments.

"The Surgeon from Thoracic's said he'd be about ten minutes" Jacob confirmed to his boss.

"Brilliant, thank you. Robyn, can you assist Jacob with this patient as you seem to know the background history" Connie requested as she quickly scribbled a few notes in the patients notes that had been left on the end of the bed.

"Yes Mrs Beauchamp" Robyn replied.

"Let me know when the thoracic surgeon gets here" Connie requested before giving both nurses a brief smile and exiting resus.

"Say what you want about Mrs Beauchamp, but she is a fantastic doctor" Robyn mused out loud as she watched the tiny frame of Connie Beauchamp sink from view. Jacob grinned to himself, he knew she was more than just a good doctor. He knew that she was a demon in the bedroom, an absolute culinary goddess and the kindest most giving person he had ever met.

"Amen to that"

"So…" Jacob started as he stood in the doorway of Connie's office. The brunette placed her IPhone back down on her desk before grinning madly.

"She's getting dropped off here after school. She said she wants to talk to you" Connie revealed.

"Me?" Jacob quizzed slightly confused. The last time Grace had come face to face with him she had thrown a strop and insisted that her Mother break off the relationship or she'd moved back to America to be with her Father.

"Does she know?" Jacob asked nervously.

"What, about you proposal yesterday? No… but I'm going to tell her. I think if we can prove that this is for good, us I mean, then maybe she'll accept it better" Connie rose from her seat behind her desk and sauntered towards Jacob, before wrapping her arms about his neck and gazing happily at his face.

"I think were about to become a family…" Connie whispered as she pressed her cheek against his.

"I really hope so Con because I don't know how long I can keep away from you. The sooner people know, the better" Jacob said.

"This is all for real Jay, I promise. I'm never giving up on us again" Connie whispered as her lips found his. Jacob wrapped his arms around the brunette and held her closely to his chest.

"I love you Con"

"Mrs Beauchamp… Mr Valentine has taken the patient up to surgery" Robyn relayed all the information back to Connie. The clinical lead had been strolling past resus slowly making her way towards reception where she was due to meet Grace from school.

"Mr Valentine?" Connie questioned as though it were a bad taste in her mouth.

"Yeah, Ms Naylor sent him down. Apparently she's stuck in surgery" Robyn replied. Connie thought back to her time on Darwin, when Oliver Valentine was her F1, useless and bumbling. He had grown beneath her, and become a proper doctor. She only had to hope that Jac Naylor's mentoring hadn't sent him off the rails.

"Right, well keep me informed" Connie answered sharply before moving through the department in search of Grace and her Nanny.

As the clinical lead walked past the staffroom, she heard the giggles of a child and the voice of Jacob Master's. She paused in her tracks and looked into the staffroom, finding Grace perched on his knee as the pair went through the timetables homework that the youngest Beauchamp had been given.

"So four times four is…" He started the sentence.

"16!" Grace replied excitedly, shifting on Jacob's knee excitedly.

"You definitely have your Mother's brains" He murmured as Grace wrote down her answer. Connie felt her heart melt slightly. There sat the two most important people in her life, her Daughter and the man she loved more than anything else in the world. For so long Grace had fought the idea of any other man, yet there she sat with Jacob doing her homework.

She took a deep breath before pushing down the door handle and opening the door to the staffroom. Two sets of eyes looked up at her, before a body propelled itself against her body.

"MOMMY! Jacob is so clever, did you know? He's been helping me with my Maths homework!" Grace gabbled to her Mother as she dived into her arms. Connie's gaze never left Jacob's, her eyes bright and he smile on her face all the evidence Jacob needed. Connie loved him.

"Has he?" Connie questioned jokingly.

"Yeah! Mommy, I like Jacob, so I guess he can be your boyfriend… if you still want him to be"

"Oh darling, of course I want Jacob to be my boyfriend. He loves us both so much, more than I could ever describe" Connie admitted to her daughter happily. She couldn't believe that Grace was giving them her blessing.

"Then I want him to be your boyfriend too"


End file.
